Giving girls a head start

The rare opportunity to get a glimpse into the working world of top businesswomen in Nelson Mandela Bay will be afforded to 54 high school girls this week. The learners will spend a day following in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela Bay’s leading female business women in the Businesswomen of Tomorrow work-shadow-day convened by the PE branch of the Businesswomen’s Association (BWA) on Tuesday 23 August 2016.

“The event is held annually during Women’s Month specifically to inspire and empower future women leaders in business, government and civil society,” said Michelle Brown, BWA PE Chairperson.

The learners will be exposed to a wide variety of career options, including the fields of Law, Information Technology, Environmental Conservation, Accounting and Auditing, Safety and Security, Film Production as well as the Hospitality Industry.

A different high school in Nelson Mandela Bay is chosen each year, and this year the Grade 11 learners from Victoria Park High School have been invited to shadow a woman leader in their field of interest for the day. They are joined by a group of learners from Alexander Road High School as well as a group of girls from the Ubuntu Centre in Zwide.

BWA members are asked to volunteer to host two or more girls for the duration of a school day. The learners then accompany the women to all their meetings and assignments for the day, getting first-hand experience of the job and learning from their hosts about the challenges on the way to success.

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About MyPortElizabeth

About Alan Straton: Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."